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Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Hourglass - Claudia Gray

Summary: Bianca will risk everything to be with Lucas. After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire boarding school where they met, Bianca and Lucas take refuge within Black Cross, a fanatical group of vampire hunters. Bianca must hider her supernatural heritage or risk certain death at its hands. But when Black Cross captures her friend--the vampire Balthazar--hiding is no longer an option.

Soon, Bianca and Lucas are on the run again, pursued not only by Black Cross, but by the powerful leaders of Evernight. Yet no matter how far they travel, Bianca can't escape her destiny.

Bianca has always believed their love could survive anything...but can it survive what's to come? (Summary from book - Image from harpercollins.com )

My Review: In my reviews of Evernight and Stargazer I expressed concern that the YA series would introduce more adult themes. In Hourglass, Lucas and Bianca do eventually make their way into the bedroom (and for more than just a good cuddle). While Gray still manages to keep the interaction fairly vague, with descriptions of foreplay but none of the actual act, I am still disappointed that she had to take that step. I’m not surprised, but I am frustrated, that authors think they need to push characters to have sex in order to maintain a reader’s interest. How about spending more time on plot development? Hourglass could have used it.

It’s been a while since I read the books preceedingHourglass, but I seem to remember them being a lot more thrilling. Lucas and Bianca are stuck feigning loyalty to Black Cross while they attempt to save up enough money to break free from the group. That portion of the story felt drawn out even though it really was only the first 88 pages. There were plenty of opportunities to escape that the characters didn’t take. It seemed like Gray was intentionally making something hard that should have been easy within the story.

One of the things that I loved about Evernight, and liked about Stargazer, was that I didn’t always know what was going to happen. Evernight gave me something new. Stargazer kept me interested. Hourglassdidn’t do any of those things until almost the very end of the book. Someone dies (I won’t say who) and something interesting happens* (I won't say what) and then THE BOOK ENDS. BAM.

It’s a testament to how NOT into this book I was that I didn’t fling it across the room. I just put it down and walked away. I don’t know if I’ll be picking up the next one or not. Where are they going to go next? A pregnant vampire? Oh please, NO! I’ve had enough of pregnant vampires to last the next three lifetimes.

My Rating: 3 Stars. This book was just okay for me. Parents - there is teenage sex (albeit mild) in this book. Know that if you pass it along to your kids.

Sum it up: Eh. It was okay.

*I will say that some things came a little too easily to Bianca. This won't mean anything unless you've read the book.